Four-piece hat box



June 1966 A. J. WEISS 3,256,974

' FOUR-PIECE HAT BOX Filed Sept. 11, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I l I I l I INVENTOR Amnun J. Mass A. J. WEISS 3,256,974

FOUR-PIECE HAT BOX 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 "'HIIIIW' INVENTOR AzTl-wia J. Wm 65 KTTORNEYS I, $71 Mil Km @11 June 21, 1966 Filed Sept. n, 1963 June 21, 1966 A. J. WEISS FOUR-PIECE HAT BOX Filed Sept. L1, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 5 x m w mm! z 5a M/W mmh & 1 cm mm 0 mm rfl M 1 6 mm s 5 pm. F) 3 5 f vw 00? m sm k 2w. Nm 2 R rP ow We w as, mi w AQTHUR EISS m My ' ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,256,974 FOUR-PIECE HAT BOX Arthur J. Weiss, Bergenfield, N.J., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 308,177 2 Claims. (Cl. 206-9) This invention relates to a new and, novel hat box and more particularly to a hat box for holding a plurality of hats in stacked relation.

It is old and well known to provide various types of boxes for the storage and shipment of hats. Many of the previously known types of hat boxes are adapted to enclose more than one half. Some boxes have simply been made large enough so that hats may 'be stacked therein one upon another, while other types of bat boxes have included various trays or dividers to maintain a plurality of hats in spaced relation. Many of these previously known hat boxes were undesirable in that the hats contained therein could shift position and rub against each other or against the box itself. In addition, the brims of the hats were placed in flush contact with the tray or divider to support the weight of the hat and, consequently, the slight curl placed therein by the manufacturer was subject to being removed such that the brims lost their desired shapes. 7

It is an object of this invention to provide a hat box having a plurality of separators for holding a plurality of hats in stacked relation in such a manner as to avoid the objectionable features of previously known hat boxes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hat box including bottom and upstanding side walls, and-a plurality of separators disposed in stacked relation within the box, each of the separators including a tray portion and a depending skirt, the skirt on the lowermost one of the separators resting on the bottom wall and supporting the tray portion of the lowermost separator in spaced relation to the bottom wall, the tray portion of the lowermost separator supporting a second one of the plurality of separators with the tray portion of the second separator being spaced from the tray portion of the lowermost separator, and providing means on the lowermost separator for maintaining the second separator in position above the lowermost separator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hat a box including bottom and upstanding walls, a separator disposed within the box, the separator including a tray portion and a depending skirt, the skirt resting on the bottom wall and supporting the tray portion in spaced relation thereto, the bottom wall comprising a plurality of closure flaps, including interlocked inner flaps and outer flaps, the skirt bearing upon the inner flaps to hold the inner and outer flaps in interlocked relation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a plurality of support or separator members adapted to be disposed in stacked relation, each of the separators comprising a tray portion and a depending skirt, a first one of the separators being provided with restraining tab means which extend upwardly above the tray portion thereof, the skirt of a second one of the plurality of separat-ors being adapted to engage the tray portion of the first separator inwardly from the restraining tab means, the restraining tab means preventing the skirt of the second separator from passing below the tray portion of the first separator when the plurality of separators are disposed in stacked relation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a support or separator member which includes a tray portion and a depending skirt, the tray portion having a central opening therein such that the crown of a hat may be passed therethrough, and the tray portion is provided with upstanding support tabs adjacent to the central opening, which support tabs extend upwardly from the tray portion and are engageable with a brim of a hat so as to hold the brim from flush contact with the tray portion.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hat box having a plurality of separators wherein lower ones of the separators-have restrain-ing tabs which are struck from the skirt of the separator, and the restraining tabs are hingedly connected to and extend upwardly and outwardly from the tray portion .and into engagement with an adjacent side wall such that the restraining tabs prevent the skirt of an upper separator from passing below the tray portion of the lower separators when the plurality of separators are disposed in stacked relation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hat box having four upstanding side walls which are connected along vertical edges thereof to form a rectangle in horizontal section, one parallel pair of the walls being longer than the other parallel pair of walls, whereby the rectangle is oblong, and providing the hat box with a plurality of separators which are comprised of an oblong rectangular tray portion and a depending skirt portion,

- each tray portion having an opening therethrough for passage of a hat crown, the oblong tray por ions Ibeing receivable within the upstanding walls such that the openings are disposed in vertical alignment with each other.

Another object of this invention is to provide a plurality of support or separator members for holding a plurality of hats in stacked relation, each of the separators including a tray portion and a depending skirt, the

skirt of the lowermost support or separator member having a greater depth than the skirt on an upper one of the support or separator members such that a hat which is supported on the upper member is partially telescoped within the crown of a hat which is supported on the lowerm-ost support or separator member, and the crown of the lowermost hat is held in spaced relation above the bottom of the lowermost skirt.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention, will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a hat box constructed in accordance with this invention, having portions broken away to reveal a plurality of support or separator members disposed within the hat box, and also shows a dust cover or lid for use therewith.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1, and shows restraining tab means struck from a lower separator member for preventing upper separator members from slipping down below the tray portion thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the underside of the hat box and illustrates the closure flaps in interlocked relation. FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2, and illustrates the closure flaps in interlocked relation.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the hat box which is illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a blank which is used to construct the novel hat box. 7

FIGURE 7 is a plan View of the blank of FIGURE 6, and illustrates the blank in a partially folded condition.

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the blank which is used to construct one of the support or separator members.

Referring to the drawings in detail, there is illustrated in FIGURE 1 a new and novel hat box, generally indicated by the numeral 10, and a conventional dust cover or lid 11 having a top wall 12 and depending flange 13. The box is provided with a plurality of support or separator members 14, 15 and 16, respectively, which are nestled within the box 10 in stacked relation.

Illustrated in FIGURE 6 is a blank, generally indicated by the numeral 20, from which the hat box 10 is constructed. The blank includes a large rectangular portion which is divided by transverse fold lines 21 so as to provide a plurality of side wall panels 22, 23, 24 and 25. A glue tab 26 is provided at one end of the blank 20 and is adapted to be adhesively secured to a glued area 27 at the other end of the blank 20. The side wall panels 22 and 24 have inner closure flaps 28 and 29, respectively, integrally attached thereto along a longitudinally extending fold line 30. A pair of outer closure flaps 31 and 32 are attached along the fold line to the side wall panels 23 and 25, respectively.

The inner closure flap 28 has a first edge 33 and a second edge 34, each of which is disposed normal to the fold line 30, and a tapered edge 35 which extends outwardly from the edge 34. An arcuate slit 36 is formed in the inner closure flap 28 and terminates with a set of substantially parallel outwardly extending slits 37 and 38.

The inner closure flap 29 is provided with a first edge 40 and a second edge 41 which are disposed normal to the fold line 30, and tapered edges 42 and 43 which are joined with the edges 40 and 41, respectively. The inner closure flap 29 is also provided with an arcuate slit 44 which terminates with a set of substantially parallel outwardly extending slits 45 and 46.

The outer closure flap 31 has a pair of edges and 51 which taper towards each other in a direction out wardly from the fold line 30. At the outermost extremities of the edges 50 and 51 the outer closure flap 31 is provided with a pair of flared portions 52 and 53, respectively. The outer closure flap 31 also includes a tongue 54 which projects outwardly from the edge thereof opposite the fold line 30.

The outer closure flap 32 includes a pair of edges 56 and 57 which taper inwardly towards each other in a direction outwardly from the fold line 30. A pair of flared portions 58 and 59 are provided at the outer ends of the edges 56 and 57, respectively, and a notch 60 is formed in the outer closure flap 32 along the free edge thereof opposite from the fold line 30.

Referring to FIGURE 7, it will be apparent that the blank 20 is folded so that the side wall panel 25 overlies the side wall panel 24, and then the side wall panel 22 is brought into overlying relation with the sidewall panel 23 such that the glued area 27 overlies and is adhesively secured to the glue flap 26. It is in this form that the blanks 20 are usually shipped from the manufacturer to the customer.

The blank 20 is erected to form the hat box 10 by moving the side walls apart from each other and folding the inner closure flaps 28 and 29 inwardly such that they overlap, with the closure fiap 28 resting on the closure flap 29 when the box 10 is in its upright position. The edges 33 and 34 of the inner closure flap 28, and the edges 41 and 40 on the inner closure flap 29, engage the interior surfaces of the side panels 25 and 23, respectively, such that adjacent ones of the side walls form ninety degree angles at each corner of the box 10.

After the inner closure flaps 28 and 29 have been folded into position, the outer closure flaps 31 and 32 are folded along the fold line 30 so as to lie adjacent to the inner closure flaps. A small pressure is then exerted simultaneously upon the outer closure flaps 31 and 32, thus forcing the inner closure flaps 28 and 29 and the outer closure flaps 31 and 32 into the interior of the box 10. The flared portions 52 and 53, on the outer closure flap 31,

and the flared portions 58 and 59, on the outer closure flap 32, will automatically slide into the respective arcuate slits 36 or 44. Further, the tongue 54 will pass through the notch 60 so as to be disposed inwardly of the outer closure flap 32, is is clearly shown in FIGURE 2.

Referring to FIGURE 8, there is illustrated a one-piece blank, generally indicated by the numeral 70, which is used for constructing the various support. or separator members 14, 15 and 16. The blank 70 includes a rectangular tray portion 71 which is bounded by skirt forming panels 72, 73, 74 and 75, which are attached to the tray portion 71 along fold lines, 76, 77, 78 and 79, respectively. The skirt forming panel 72 is provided with a pair of corner flaps 80 and 81 which are separated from the skirt forming panels 73 and 75 along severance lines 82 and 83, respectively. Likewise, the skirt forming panel 74 is provided with a pair of corner flaps 84 and 85 which are separated from the skirt forming panels 73 and 75 along severance lines 86 and 87, respectively.

The blank 70 is provided with a plurality of restraining tab means 90, each of which is hingedly attached to a respective one of the fold lines 76, 77, 78 and 79. The restraining tab means 90 are, preferably, struck from the skirt forming panels 72, 73, 74 and 75 along severance lines 91, however, if so desired, the restraining tab means 90 may be struck from the tray portion 71.

The tray portion 71, of the blank 70, is provided with a plurality of support tab means 92, each of which is hingedly attached to the tray portion 71 along small arcuate fold lines 93. An opening 94 is formed in the tray portion 71 by a plurality of severance lines 95 which extend between adjacent pairs of support tab means 92. The fold lines 93 and the severance lines 95 are formed such that with the support tab means 92 disposed normal to the tray portion 71, as is shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 5, the opening 94 is substantially elliptical so as to receive therethrough the crown portion of a conventional hat.

Completing the blank 70, a plurality of score lines 96 are provided in the skirt forming panels 73 and 75, which score lines define triangular portions 97 at each end thereof.

In constructing a support or separator member 14, 15 or 16 from the blank 70, the blank 70 is folded such that the skirt forming panels 72, 73, 74 and 75 are disposed normal to the tray portion 71, and the corner flaps 80, 81-, 84 and 85 are disposed inwardly of and lie adjacent to the triangular portions 97. The triangular portions 97 are adhesively secured, or stapled, or otherwise attached to a respective one of the corner flaps 80, 81, 84 and 85. The corner flaps 30, 81, 84 and 85 connect together adjacent pairs of the skirt forming panels 72, 73, 74 and 75 so as to strengthen the erected support or separator member, while the score lines 96 permit the erected support or separator member to be collapsed into a flat form which is more suitable for shipping.

It should be noted, from FIGURE 6, that the side wall panels 22 and 24 are shorter in length than the side wall panels 23 and 25. Further, it should be noted, from FIGURE 8, that the tray portion 71 is shorter along the fold lines 76 and 78 than it is along the fold lines 77 and 79. As a result, the box 10 and the separator members 14, 15 and 16 each form, in horizontal section, an oblong rectangle. Thus, the separator members 14, 15 and 16 may be stacked within the box 10 only in such a manner that the openings 94 are disposed in vertical alignment, as is shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 5.

While only one blank 70 has been illustrated for forming the various support or separator members 14, 15 and 16, it is to be understood that these separator members differ slightly in form. As is clearly apparent in FIGURES 1 and 2 the lowermost separator member 14 has a depending skirt which is deeper than the depending skirt of either of thesupport members 15 or 16. Thus, the hat crown 100 is not engaged by the closure flaps 28, 29,

31 and 32 which form the bottom of the hat box 10. The hat crown 101 which is supported by the intermediate separator member 115 is telescoped slightly within the hat crown 100, as is shown in FIGURE 2, and the skirt portion of the separator member 15 is made shorter than the skirt portion of the separator member 14 to conserve material and to make a more compact package.

The plurality of restraining tab means 90, on each of the separator members 14 and 15, are bent along their respective fold lines so as to extend upwardly and outwardly fromtheir respective tray portions 71 and engage the interior surfac of an adjacent upstanding side wall. After the lowermost separator member 14 has been positioned within the hat box 10, the intermediate separator member 15 is placed within the hat box and the restraining tab means 90 on the lowermost separator member 14 guide the depending skirt, of the intermediate separator member 15, into engagement with the tray portion 71 of the lowermost separator member 14. Consequently, the intermediate support member 15 is maintained in position above the lowermost separator member 14 and cannot slip out of alignment. Likewise, the restraining tab means 90 on the intermediate separator member 15 guide the depending skirt on the uppermost separator member 16 into proper alignment thereabove.

As is illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the support tab means 92 are folded upwardly along their respective fold lines 93 and extend normal to their respective tray portions 71. After the hat crowns, such as the hat crowns 100 and 101, are passed through the opening 94 in the tray portions 71, the support tab means 92 engage with and are held upright by the hat crowns such that theupper edge of the support tab means 92 engage with a respective hat rim 102 or 103. Thus, the hat rims, such as the rims 102 and 103, are supported above a respective tray portion 71 and the slight curl which is conventional in the present day style of mens hats is not diminished or removed. It should be noted that the support tab means 92, on the lowermost separator member 14, keeps the hat crown 100 spaced above the bottom of the hat box 10 and prevents damage thereto'in the event that the bottom of the box becomes soiled with dirt or dust, or becomes stained with water or oil.

Thus, it will be apparent from the foregoing, that the above described new and novel hat box with its attending features and advantages represents a substantial advance in the art of packaging hats.

It is preferred that the novel hat box 10 and separator members 14, 15 and 16 be constructed of paperboard; however, heavy paper, cardboard, plastic or other similar flexible materials may be used.

While preferred forms and arrangement of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangements of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claimed subject matter.

I claim:

1. A hat-box comprising a carton, a plurality of separators and a lid; said carton including four upstanding side walls each'of which is provided with a closure flap along a lower edge thereof, said closure flaps including a pair of inner flaps and a pair of outer flaps, each of said inner flaps having an arcuate slit formed therein, each of said arcuate slits terminating with a set of substantially parallel outwardly extending slits, each of said outer flaps having tapered edges adjacent to a respective one of said side walls and converging outwardly therefrom, flared portions extending outwardly from each of said tapered edges and adapted to be passed through a respective one of said arcuate slits, the flared portions on one of said outer flaps overlapping the flared portion on the other of said outer flaps, one of said outer flaps including a projecting tongue on the edge thereof opposite from the attachment to a side wall, the other of said outer flaps having a notch therein for receiving said tongue, said four upstanding side walls being connected along vertical edges thereof and forming a rectangle in horizontal section, one parallel pair of said walls being longer than the other parallel pair of walls whereby said rectangle is oblong; each of said separators comprising an oblong rectangular tray portion and 1a, depending skirt portion, said tray portion having an opening therethrough for passage of a hat crown, said oblong tray portions being receivable within said upstanding walls such that the openings are disposed in vertical alignment with each other, the skirt on a lowermost one of said separators resting on said inner closureflaps and supporting the respective tray portion in spaced relation therefrom, the tray portion on said lowermost separator supporting a second one of said plurality of separators with the tray portion of said second separator being spaced from the tray portion of said lowermost separator, the skirt portion of said lowermost separator being greater in depth than the skirt of sad second separator whereby the tray portion of said lowermost separator is spaced a greater distance from said closure flaps than the distance that the tray portion on said second separator is spaced from the tray portion on said lowermost sepiarator, said lowermost separator being provided with restraining tab means which are struck from the skirt thereof, said rest-raining tab means being hingedly connected to said lowermost separator and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom into engagment with an adjacent one of said side walls, said restraining tab means preventing the skirt of said second separator from passing below the tray portion of said lowermost separator when said plurality of separators are disposed in stacked relation; each of said tray portions 'being provided along the periphery of the opening therein with a plurality of supporting t-abs each of which is adapted to extend above the respective tray portion and support the brim of a hat whereby said brim is supported out of flush engagement with the respective tray portion, said lid having a depending flange engageable about the exterior of said upstanding side walls to prevent outward bulging thereof whereby said restraining tabs are maintained in engagement with the respective adjacent side wall.

2. A hat box comprising a carton, a plurality of separators and a lid; said carton including four upstanding side walls each of which is provided with a closure flap along a lower edge thereof, said closure flaps including a pair of inner flaps and a pair of outer flaps, means for interlocking said inner flaps and said outer flaps; each of said separators comprising a tray portion and a depending skirt portion, said tray portion having an opening therethrough for passage of a hat crown, said tray portions being receivable within said upstanding walls such that the openings are disposed in vertical alignment with each other, the skirt on a lowermost one of said separators resting on said inner closure flaps and supporting the respective tray portion in spaced relation thereabove, the tray portion on said lowermost separator supporting v a second one of said plurality of separators with the tray portion of said second separator being spaced from the tray portion of said lowermost separator, said lowermost separator being provided with restraining tab means struck from the skirt thereof and extending upwardly and outwardly from the tray portion of said lowermost separator and into engagement with an adjacent one of said side walls, said retaining tab means preventing the skirt of said second separator from passing below the tray portion of said lowermost separator when said purality of saparators are disposed in stacked relation; said lid having adepending flange and engageable about the exterior of said upstanding side walls to prevent outward bulging thereof for maintaining said restraining tabs in engagement. with the respective adjacent side wall.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Weiss 2068 Gruenberg 2069 Morris 22939 Laubenheimer 20645 .19 X Weiss 22939 Diehl 2069 Huye 2069 Lev 2068 10 Weiss 2069 Kirby 2069 Rondone 22939 Inman 29915 X Adams 29939 Schecterso n, et a1. 20645.19

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain. 

2. A HAT BOX COMPRISING A CARTON, A PLURALITY OF SEPARATORS AND A LID; SAID CARTON INCLUDING FOUR UPSTANDING SIDE WALLS EACH OF WHICH IS PROVIDED WITH A CLOSURE FLAP ALONG A LOWER EDGE THEREOF, SAID CLOSURE FLAPS INCLUDING A PAIR OF INER FLAPS AND A PAIR OF OUTER FLAPS, MEANS FOR INTERLOCKING SAID INNER FLAPS AND SAID OUTER FLAPS; EACH OF SAID SEPARATORS COMPRISING A TRAY PORTION AND A DEPENDING SKIRT PORTION, SAID TRAY PORTION HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH FOR PASSAGE OF A HAT CROWN, SAID TRAP PORTIONS BEING RECEIVABLE WITHIN SAID UPSTADING WALLS SUCH THAT THE OPENINGS ARE DISPOSED IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OTHER, THE SKIRT ON A LOWERMOST ONE OF SAID SEPARATORS RESTING ON SAID INNER CLOSURE FLAPS AND SUPPORTING THE RESPECTIVE RAY PORTION IN SPACED RELATION THEREABOVE, THE TRAY PORTION ON SAID LOWERMOST SEPARATOR SUPPORTING A SECOND ONE OF SAID PLURALITY OF SEPARATORS WITH THE TRAY PORTION OF SAID SECOND SEPARATOR BEING SPACED FROM THE TRAY PORTION OF SAID LOWERMOST SEPARATOR, SAID LOWERMOST SEPARATOR BEING PROVIDED WITH RESTRAINING TAB MEANS 